The One and Only
by AnAntigone
Summary: PreHBP A telling of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts, a different way.
1. Chapter 1

It was only a week into the first term of his sixth year, and already Ron was feeling completely stressed out. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the couch, recounting the events of the past five minutes. It had all started when he was playing chess with Hermione and she had somehow, amazingly, taken his queen. He remembered her exact wording of his opposition to this.

Earlier...

"Yeah, well, if you weren't so oblivious to what's right under your nose," bellowed Hermione.

"Me, oblivious? Oblivious to what?" he questioned.

"To the fact that – that – argh, never mind," she finished, lamely.

"Oh, great comeback, 'Mione, really ingenious," he noted sarcastically.

Hermione just glared at him then turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs to her dorm.

"Girls," he muttered, "What is it with her anyways?"

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing," said Ginny, giggling from her chair, where she had watched the whole episode, "Just that you really can't see what's right under your nose."

"What," he said, turning around to face her, "What is it that I'm supposedly not getting?"

"That I can't tell you, genius brother of mine, you'll have to figure it out for yourself."

"Harry?"

Harry smiled knowingly from where he sat on the floor by Ginny's feet. "Sorry, mate, can't help you with this one."

"Great," he sighed and sat back down on the couch looking forlornly at the unfinished chess game. _What is it with her,_ he questioned himself, _every time it seems like we might be getting along, we start fighting again. And now there's this secret that everybody but me seems to know about. _Suddenly Ginny stood up.

"I'll be right back," she said.

_Terrific, _he thought andgroaned inwardly,_ probably gone to talk to Hermione about what a terrible person I am. _He sighed again, got up and began walking towards the staircase to the boys' dormitory when Harry finally spoke again.

"Everything good between you two?" he asked.

Ron paused, shook his head as if trying to clear it, then continued walking.

Meanwhile...

Hermione closed the door to her dorm quietly, leaning her forehead against the cool stone wall as she did so. _Why did he always have to make such a fuss about the littlest things?_ she thought, _it was just one stupid chess piece for Merlin's sake. It wasn't like he had lost the game or anything. I don't think he could've taken that. _She sighed, exasperated, then crossed the room to her bed. She had just sat down and was preparing to draw the curtains closed around her when she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened slowly and Ginny poked her head in.

"Hey," she said, and walked over

to Hermione, "You looked pretty angry, so I thought I'd come and check on you. Is everything ok?"

"Yes... no... I don't know, it's just... argh, your brother can be such a blockhead sometimes."

"So I've noticed. Well, if you're sure you're okay, I really need to get back downstairs. I've barely even started on my transfiguration essay for tomorrow. It's getting late and Merlin knows it's my worst subject..." she trailed off.

"Yes, yes, you go, finish your homework. I'll be just fine."

Ginny hesitated then squeezed Hermione into a quick hug before getting up and leaving.

She listened to Ginny's footsteps echoing down the stairs until they faded away, then leaned her head back against her pillow, and closed her eyes.

Ginny slowly descended the stairs, thinking. She wasn't sure that she, or anyone else who was in close contact with the two when they were fighting, could stand their constant bickering much longer. But what could be done about it? Still deep in thought, she reached the bottom of the stairs and walked back toward her chair. As she got closer, Harry stood up.

"Everything ok?" he queried.

"She said she was fine," she replied, "but I can't help but feel that things would be so much nicer around here if they could just get the guts to admit their feelings!"

"You're telling me, who has to sit between them during classes when they won't talk to one another."

"Well, I suppose that's worse than what the rest of us have to bear," she said, "It's just so frustrating, watching them."

"I know, but we've got to let them work this one out on their own."

"Maybe if we just gave them a little push..." Ginny began, but she was cut short as Professor McGonagall came through the portrait hole.

"Good evening Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley," She said in an unusually cheerful voice.

"Good evening Professor," said Harry, "what brings you here at this time of night?"

"Oh, just a little announcement," she said, and smiled as she put a large sheet of parchment on the board, then departed.

Harry and Ginny allowed the portrait to swing to a close before rushing over to the board.

'HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE' proclaimed the poster in big letters, 'FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31'. Then at the bottom in smaller letters 'third years and below not permitted unless asked by an older student'.

"Wow," breathed Ginny, "a ball. Hopefully it'll be a nice change from last time."

"Yeah, maybe if we can get Ron to actually ask Hermione this time, we won't have to deal with another Weasley-Granger Yule ball brawl," agreed Harry.

"Oh, so you're agreeing with me that they do need a little push,"

"Of course, it'd be a benefit to us all. I just didn't want to make it too obvious."

"Well, we have more than enough time to plan something. Halloween's over a month and a half away."

"Well, Ron's such of a git I don't have much hope, but maybe in time they'll see what they truly want."

"I sure hope so," she paused and grinned, "at least this time I won't have to go with Neville if I want to go to the ball."

"Of course not, you're going with me."

"Oh, am I," laughed Ginny, "well we'll just have to see about that, Mr. Potter, but right now, I am going to bed seeing as it's well past twelve-thirty. Goodnight." Then she promptly kissed him on the lips and scurried up the stairs to her room leaving Harry to call "goodnight" at her retreating back.


	2. Something Sad

The next morning, Thursday, dawned bright and sunny, the exact opposite of Ron's mood. He had woken up late due to the fact that he could not get to sleep the night before. He had tossed and turned for hours, the night's events playing over and over in his head. He shook his head, trying to shake all bits of those thoughts from his mind and looked around. The room was already empty, i probably at breakfast, /i he thought bitterly, i eating all the food. /i He hurried and threw on his robes over his favorite Chudley Cannons T-shirt and jeans, then stuffed his feet into a pair of fairly new trainers. They were already beginning to pinch his toes, doing nothing to improve his already sour disposition. Sleepily, he descended the stairs to the common room, hurrying so he could have some breakfast without being late for class. He ran his hands through his tousled hair, trying to make it look somewhat presentable and had just started towards the portrait hole when something caught his eye. There was a large group of students crowded around the notice board, looking at something and chattering excitedly. Wondering what all the fuss was about, Ron turned to walk over there but stopped short when Ginny bounded up to him.

"So, who're you asking?" she piped excitedly.

"Asking who what?" he replied, thoroughly confused.

"Well I guess you haven't seen it yet then," she said, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Seen what," Ron practically shouted; he was beginning to get a bit impatient with Ginny.

"Oh, come on," she growled, grabbing his arm and pulling him with an amazing amount of force for such a small person, toward the board, shoving their way through the mass of people until they were at the front.

"Read," she commanded. Ron did so and was a bit surprised when he got an odd sort of tingly sensation in his chest. He was confused when he realised that he was feeling nervous. He pulled a face at this thought and Ginny saw him.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, though it seemed as if she already knew the answer.

"Nothing it's just--oh the agony!" he said, putting his face in his hands.

Ginny smirked and, sounding just like Fred and George said, "Aww, is ickle ronniekins afraid of all the little grilies?"

Ron looked up at her, scowling. "No, it's not that; it's..." he paused, not knowing how exactly to explain what it was.

"That the person you want to ask is too far out of your reach. Or maybe it's that they're too close," she offered, raising her eyebrows at him as she finished.

"W-what do you mean?" stammered Ron, the tips of his ears beginning to turn red with the infamous Weasley blush.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all, my dear brother," said Ginny, but Ron could distinctly hear her laughing to herself as she threaded her way back out of the crowd of people.

i Is she mad? /i he thought, incredulously. He shrugged and then he too wove his way out of the masses and left the common room.

He was not at all surprised to see that the Great Hall was almost empty, occupied only by a few stragglers who were hurriedly grabbing last pieces of toast or muffins that they could eat on their way to class, and Harry and Hermione. The last two were sitting at the far end of the Gryffindor table, their heads bent low, whispering. Ron walked a little faster, not only because he wanted to eat but also because whispering meant something had happened. Hermione stopped talking when Ron walked up behind her and the two of them looked up at him. Ron was surprised to see that she had tears in her eyes and looked at Harry, questioningly.

"There's been an attack," he said in a low voice.

"What?" Ron shouted, astounded, "Where, when did this happen?"

"Keep your voice down," said Harry, "it happened last night. They--" but he was cut short when Hermione whispered, eyes wide.

"They attacked my parents."

Ron could not help but feel bad for her, even though he was still fuming about last night, so he said nothing for a minute, then, "Your parents?" he asked her in a very small voice. Hermione nodded and then began sobbing once again.

"It was that-- that cow, Bellatrix Lestrange and some other Death Eaters," supplied Harry, angrily.

"Ron, my-- my father's--dead," added Hermione, whispering the last word.

This comment left Ron speechless. He had only really met the man once, last summer, and he was one of the kindest, funniest people he had ever known. And now he was dead.

"What about your mum?" inquired Ron.

"She's in St.Mungo's," said Harry, answering for Hermione who seemed unable to speak, "They say she's going to be okay."

Ron heaved a sigh of relief at this news, glad to hear that she too was not dead. Harry glanced at his watch and gave a small yelp of surprise.

"We've got two minutes to get to class." And with that, Hermione stood up, wiped her tear streaked face, then lifted her chin high into the air and led the way out of the Great Hall to Transfiguration.


End file.
